


Red, Blue (At World's End)

by DrowningInStarlight



Category: King Falls AM (Podcast)
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Ben and Emily deal with a little of the fallout from 75, Emotional Trauma, Episode 75, Episode Related, Mary Jensen Mothers Everyone, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-11
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-05-05 08:36:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14614230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrowningInStarlight/pseuds/DrowningInStarlight
Summary: Even as it unfolded around him, Ben knew he'd never be able to forget this night. It was a fever-dream of flame and sorrow. The smoke made everything hazy, he felt as if he couldn't breathe. He was going to choke on fear and desperation.The flashing lights of the fire engines cut the world into snapshots of distant colour, like snatches of a life half-remembered.In which: Ben and Emily both have unresolved traumas, the radio station is burning, and Mary looks out for her kids.





	Red, Blue (At World's End)

**Author's Note:**

> Someone help these poor kids, _please_

There are some memories that never fade. They stay in your mind forever, burned into your brain by horror. Ben still had nightmares about Emily's abduction, each detail as vivid as the night it happened, and every time he woke up screaming. 

_The radio station was burning._

Even as it unfolded around him, Ben knew he'd never be able to forget this night. It was a fever-dream of flame and sorrow. The smoke made the night hazy, he felt as if he couldn't breathe. He was going to choke on fear and desperation.

The flashing lights of the fire engines cut the world into snapshots of distant colour, like snatches of a life half-remembered. 

_Red_

Sammy, looking grey and broken, stumbling out of his car. Troy catching him, someone sobbing, pure liquid pain--

 _Blue_

Chet being rushed into an ambulance, surrounded by paramedics and the smell of burnt clothing--

 _Red_

Emily looking at everyone with terror, as if she couldn't remember who she was, or why she was here--

_Blue_

Ben wanted to go to them, to hold his friends so tightly nothing else could ever take them, but his legs wouldn't move. He felt cold and far-away, unreal, unreal, _unreal_ \--

_Red_

"Ben, sit down." 

He turned and saw Mary Jensen, face streaked with smoke but looking far more put together than anyone else Ben had seen that night. "'m okay," he mumbled. 

"Ben Arnold, you sit your ass down before you fall," Mary told him. "You look like you're about to pass out."

"I-- I can't leave Sammy, or--" He suddenly felt dizzy. Mary caught his arm. 

"You're no good to Sammy or anyone else if you go round makin' yourself ill," she said. " _Sit._ " 

"Is that your mum voice?" Ben asked vaguely. 

"You bet it is, young man. Over here." She lead him to the kerb of the road, and he sat reluctantly. 

"Now, are you alright?" she asked. 

"I'm not hurt, if that's what you mean."

"I'll take it. Now, you stay here all quiet, and calm down. I really thought you were goin' to fall over back there, and you may be short but I still wouldn't fancy tryin' to drag you over to the paramedics." 

"You'll tell me if anything happens?" he said. 

"'Course I will. I'm going to go find Emily, make sure someone is keeping an eye on her, what with the rainbow lights and all." Her tone spoke of knowledge, and Ben suddenly was powerfully reminded of the experiences they had in common. 

"Is Tim...?" he asked hesitantly. 

"Tim's at home with the kids," Mary explained briskly. "Hopefully they're all soundly asleep still. Stay here, Ben, and don't worry yourself. Everything's going to be just fine."

He didn't believe her. But he stayed sat on the kerb, watching the lights flash _red blue_ and thanking anything that might be listening that there weren't any more colours lighting up the sky.

 

Eventually, Mary came back, with Emily by her side. "I found her at the edge of the woods," she said, and both Ben and Emily flinched. "Not-- I'm sorry, kids. Not _those_ woods. Just the ones over by the far end of the radio station."

Emily sat on the kerb next to Ben. "I'm sorry for... for freaking out. It's the last thing everyone needs right now."

"It's okay," Ben said. "It's completely understandable-- the rainbow lights--"

Emily shuddered. "Can we not talk about them, not... not out in the open.Where they could-- I'm sorry." 

"Will you two be alright if I go check on Sammy and the others?" Mary asked them gently. 

"Yeah," Emily said shakily, "Make sure Sammy's okay. He-- God, he nearly-- we nearly lost him." 

Ben could hardly even think about it. Emily was right-- they'd come _so close_ to losing him forever, and Ben couldn't lose anyone else. Not now, not _ever_ \-- surely, one day he would have lost enough? Surely, one day, the world would stop taking everyone he'd ever loved away from him? 

"We'll be okay, Mrs Jensen," he said. 

She looked a bit dubious, but nodded and hurried away. It seemed to be her way of coping, to keep busy and focus on helping whoever she could. Under her gaze, Ben felt a little more like a bedraggled kitten found half-drowned in a river than a fully grown radio host with important responsibilties. Somehow, though, he couldn't bring himself to care. 

"Something's going to happen, isn't it?" Emily said quietly, once Mary had gone. "Something's coming. That's why you've been so intense about the notebook-- sorry, thought journal."

Ben looked at her. Like Mary, her face was stained with smoke, and there were tear tracks down her cheeks. She looked tired and scared and determined and goddamn beautiful, and Ben had to admit she was right. 

"Something's coming," he agreed. "And I don't know what, or when, or hell, even _why_ , but sure as hell it isn't getting Sammy or you, or anyone." 

"But I'm not supposed to be here," she said. "Debbie said so."

"I don't care," Ben said fiercely. "You're staying in King Falls for as long as you want to, whatever some stupid book says."

Emily wrapped her arms around her knees and shivered. Ben went to put his arm around her, but she flinched at his touch. 

"Sorry--" Ben began, but Emily stopped him. 

"No, it's not you, it's just... Do you ever wonder what-- what they did to me when I was... wherever I was. Because it could have been anything and I just _wouldn't know_. And that makes me sort of jumpy, and sometimes people touch me and I panic and... God, I'm a mess, aren't I?" 

Ben gave her a sad smile. "We're all messes, apparently," he said. "You'll be okay." 

Emily sighed. "I don't know about that, sometimes," she said. "Ben?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Is it okay if I...can I have a hug?" 

"Of course," he said.

Around them, the world burned and hearts shattered and tears fell, Ben rested his head against Emily's, and wondered if this was what the end of the world looked like.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always welcome!


End file.
